


Don't mess with Matt

by The_BookDragon



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Langst, M/M, Matt is angry, Protective Matt Holt, Team Feels
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-25
Updated: 2017-06-07
Packaged: 2018-11-04 17:15:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 9
Words: 2,915
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10995363
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/The_BookDragon/pseuds/The_BookDragon
Summary: Matt loves his boyfriend and can't stand seeing him hurt.





	1. Part 1

**Author's Note:**

> I got some inspiration from this post  
> https://ovyy-pvcure.tumblr.com/post/160073527290/okay-so-i-know-matt-coming-into-the-team-and

Matt was still adjusting to the castle. The rebels had been somewhat of an" every person lives in a small ship" group. The immense size of the castle kept throwing him off, but not enough for him not to notice the Blue Paladin. Matt had been a little starstruck when he had gotten a good look at Lance. That boy was an excellent specimen of the human race.  Clear bronze skin, dark blue eyes that shone, tall, and the body of a swimmer with broad shoulders. At first, it had been a purely physical attraction; over time Matt had noticed Lance’s personality. With a joke or pick-up line, he could easily break the tension. Lance was also loyal to a fault, which drove the Galra crazy. Lance was sort of like a puppy in Matt’s mind.  Then came the pining; eventually, it had worked out into a relationship when Lance revealed he wanted to be more than friends, which Matt kept under wraps while working with everyone.  
Speaking of that, working with the Paladins was very hard. Allura was a hard head and continuously pushed them all to their limits. Shiro would never talk to anyone about the battle plans, that was a sore point between Matt, Lance, and Shiro. Keith ran headlong into the fray or was in the training deck all the time, often he ended up in the pods. Matt had caught Hunk more than once in someone’s quarters going through things. Katie or Pidge had turned into a computer addicted gremlin. Matt had noticed her asleep in random areas of the castle. Coran more than once had said, “That is not how a paladin…” Honestly, if Lance had not been there, Matt would’ve left a long time ago. Even though Matt loved Katie and was friends with Shiro, they were getting on his nerves.  
Today had been no different. Shiro had proposed a plan to sneak onto one of the prisoner ships when Lance had pointed out that there was a fault. Shiro had snapped, and Lance backed off. Matt felt somewhat bad, and he walked over.  
“Shiro, I agree with Lance. We need someone better at stealth other than Keith to get past the personal guards.”  
Shiro did not take it well which was apparent when he answered, “We have no one else, and Keith is great at stealth.” He walked away, Lance looked heartbroken at being brushed off again, which of course Matt would not take.  
“Shiro!”  
Shiro was met with the full force of Matt’s anger, which he apparently is surprised by.  
“I know Keith is your brother, but that does not mean you can show him any special treatment!”  
Shiro was floored that someone was calling him out. As was everyone else.  
Matt kept going, his pent up frustration was coming lose in a stream of words.  
“I have been on this ship for two months, and I would have left a long time ago if not for Lance! All of you are so bullheaded and stubborn and can’t figure out when not to push someone! Lance, he’s been trying his damned hardest as have all of you, but none of you are handling it well! Shiro, you don’t talk at all. Coran, you talk too much and can’t figure out these are not the paladins of old. Allura needs not push people so hard we are only kids. Katie keeps snapping and is always on the computer. Hunk needs to learn to give people some privacy. Keith, you can’t rush in all the time or train till you fall over. Lance, you’re too damn loyal and need to actually express your feelings not just put up a facade.”  
The team stood stock still each a little bit upset but knowing every word of it was true.    
“Hold up, what do you mean Lance putting up a facade,” queried Keith.  
Matt let out a strangled laugh,“Are you really so blind?”  
The silence was the only answer needed.  
Matt seemed to take it as an insult, “You mean to tell me you never once noticed his self-hatred at all!?”  
Metaphorical crickets chirped in the background.  
“That’s it,” he marched over to Lance and shouted over his shoulder as they left,“ I want explanations tomorrow and so help me God if they are not satisfactory there will be hell to pay got it!?”  
Matt dragged Lance to his room and waited outside while Lance changed into his pajamas. Matt quietly pulled Lance into a hug as the taller boy finally broke. Quietly, they lay together as Matt whispered all the things he loved about Lance. It would not be easy, and the insecurities would never be truly gone, but as long as Matt was there, he would do his best to drown them out with positives.


	2. Epilogue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The team talks to Matt and Lance.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> By popular demand I added more.

Eventually, they fell asleep exhausted after the emotional baggage they had expressed.   
Matt woke before Lance. He felt heavy after yesterday's outburst and the explanation the team owed them today. It might get ugly again.  
It took another hour for Lance to wake up and to get ready. When they were as ready as they could be, they went to the kitchen.   
The team had already assembled there. Quietly everyone ate no one knew how to break the silence or start the conversation all of them knew would come.   
Lance finally slammed his spoon down,"Enough!"  
Spooked everyone jumped or flinched. Coran hesitantly,"Number Two are you alright?"  
"No."  
That was the first time Lance had actually admitted to the team things were not okay. Matt knew it was time to hear what the team had to say.   
"The answer I asked for, I want it now."  
It was Keith who spoke.  
"We talked after you guys left last night. All of us took a good long look at ourselves and our actions lately and realized we had no excuse. Every word you said last night Matt is real. We have not been superb teammates."  
"We would like to remedy that," came Allura,"I see as does all of us how poorly we've acted not only to Lance but to each other."  
It would take some time to work the mess they had made out, but for now, this was a step int the right direction.


	3. Shiro

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am adding chapter from the others point of views and them getting their acts together.

Every pretty much agreed that each person would need to come up with a plan to figure out their problems. In a couple of hours, they would all meet up again and discuss their plans.   
Shiro went to Black. Since he had returned with Matt in tow, Black was sort of becoming a confidant. She opened for him and immediately her kind of mother knows best presence wrapped around him.   
"Did you know?"  
Her answer was yes she knew. Blue could not keep it from her sisters. Blue's kitten was so sad, and the Lions loved him for just adding something beautiful and treating them not only with respect but with kindness and care.   
Shiro felt a tugging sensation and found himself on an open grassland similar to that of a savannah. A voice washed over him making him think of a warm breeze. Leonine covered black with black fur, white coverings, and yellow Altean marks he knew this was the Black Lion.   
"My kitten, you are in my personal plane of existence. You are the first to ever come here."  
Shiro felt somewhat intimidated only for the Black Lion to pull him into a hug. Memories washed over him all from Black's point of view. He saw many things that made him realize that he had been an ass. Shiro grimaced and silently swore to himself that he would lighten up more and really get to know his teammates, not to mention, apologize for all the unfair things he had done. Black purred, comforting her kitten. They had been through a lot together, and though it might be painful, it was necessary.  
She huffed in his face as he started to make pained faces.  
"Black, you are a magical, sentient, mecha how do you have bad breath?"  
Black just slung him over her shoulder and started walking, ignoring his protests. 


	4. Keith

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Red talks to Keith

Keith, of course, was bashing a gladiator droid's head in. Red was growling in his head trying to get his attention.   
"Really I don't care Red. I messed up."  
The simulation all of a sudden ended, And Keith had enough time to blink before he found himself on what looked to be a volcanic island. A leonine woman stalked over to him she was covered in red fur that had white patterns, a sarong, and braids.   
"Of all my paladins you are the most stubborn and reckless of them all!"  
Keith was incredulous,"RED!?"  
"Who else would I be?! Zarkon?!"  
She cuffed him over the head,"Stop your silly moping and don't you dare deny it. You're moping and acting like an angsty cantor."  
"Red, I was an ass to my team and couldn't even notice when one of my teammates was hurting!"  
Red ran a hand over her face and sighed, "Keith, the Blue Paladin is also great at hiding these things. All Goddess knows the last one was so good no one knew until it was too late."  
This was even more shocking."Why does it feel so bad whenever I think of the others being hurt?"  
"Another part of being the Red Paladin is also protecting the team. Which is why you have a tendency to get hurt."  
"Allura never mentioned that."  
"The princess does not know all there is to us, not even Alfor knew our full potential. He built our bodies not our souls."  
"Is that why I'm here?"  
"Yes, this is my personal plane of existence. Each of us Lions has one, and they reflect Lion's quintessence and elements. This island reflects the duality of my element, fire. Its ability to be destructive and the life it brings. Which is a part of you also, to become a better teammate you have to learn to balance those aspects out."

It was some food for thought. Keith had been a loner and fighter for most of life, and he was going to have to work on actually being a part of the team and not just a human shield. 


	5. Hunk

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hunk's turn

Hunk was snooping, well he didn't call it that, more like finding things out.  
He thought maybe if only he had looked harder he would have noticed Lance's problems.  
Something tugged at him with a gentle insistence that Hunk was unable to ignore.  
Following the tug, he found himself in Yellow's hangar.  
Suddenly with a jolt, he was sitting on a porch in front of a large farmhouse.  
A leonine woman strode towards him, she was covered in paint, dirt, and carried a kitten in her huge hands. Without a word she picked Hunk up and began walking to a destination unknown.   
"Yellow?"  
She nodded and kept walking, and turns out their destination was a field.  
Yellow set the kitten down, and it scampered over and started playing with a plant.  
"My companion is going to be a fierce fighter one day yet as gentle as down when the time comes," Yellow's voice was honey-rich and gave the impression that she could level a city with a shout.   
Hunk felt no small amount of awe at her power.  
Yellow turned to face her paladin," What the little fighter said is true. Poking into others lives without permission is a breach of trust. You must simply offer that you will be there, both parties must meet half-way."  
She paused and considered for a moment," The ground is two parts the place each creature grows and comes back to time after time, but it is also destruction and power."  
The kitten ran to Hunk and clung to his leg and looked at him with wisdom beyond its years.   
"Remember my paladin, a pillar cannot stand without a good base."


	6. Pidge

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Green advises Pidge

Pidge was furiously typing on the computer. She knew that she was avoiding her problems including Matt.  
When he had said all those things that she knew was true, but it still hurt like hell. Green purred in the back of her mind and pulled her away into a forest that seemed to be straight out of a fairytale.  
Green was not as Pidge expected her to be, Green was built like a gazelle with leonine features. Pidge was reminded of the goddess Artemis or an Amazonian woman, Green had a tunic and leggings, and her hair was braided down her back.  
Green lifted Pidge onto her shoulders and took off moving at a blinding speed. It almost felt like they were flying instead of running.  
They stopped in a clearing much different from the place they had started. What looked like the ruins of some forgotten city lay there covered almost entirely in plants, a giant jaguar bounded towards them and nuzzled Green.   
"My paladin, you cannot ignore your brother forever," Green had a voice that sounded like the swaying branches of a tree.  
"I know I can't, but it doesn't make it hurt any less."  
"Pidge, you are like nettle, prickly but has many beneficial properties. For nettle to be used its needles must be softened."  
"So, less of a bite."  
"Yes, but do not give all of it up when facing those that would cause you harm. This was once my home city over time my plants and creatures reclaimed what was theirs. It took many decades, and that is one of the most important parts of a Green Paladin, to have the patience to reclaim what is yours."


	7. Allura and Coran

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What I noticed about the Alteans was they didn't really grieve except when Allura faced her father's ai. I think most of their problems stem from that.

Allura was wandering the halls of the castle rediscovering the rooms of her childhood. She reflected on the accusations made by Mathew Holt. To her dismay when she examined her actions over the past couple quintents and discovered that every word correct. Allura was a bit horrified that she had pushed so much to hurt someone that was a part of her family.   
She felt she was in over her head.

Allura had been thrust into the war even though it had been ten thousand years it had been only several quintents for her and Coran.

Speaking of which she had come upon him in what used to be the paladins' rooms.  
She sat next to him.   
"I miss them and my King."  
Allura hugged him as he shared his grief with her.  
"It is hard not to see them whenever we are with our team, and I can't help but think of them that way."  
"Oh, Coran I want my father back so badly."  
A sad hum came from Coran and for the first time in a long period they allowed themselves to mourn for all that was lost and will never be.

Tears streamed from their eyes, but slowly they dried, and both felt lighter.   
Allura and Coran finally let the ghosts of the paladins and Altea rest.


	8. Lance

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lance is told some important things.

Lance was in the observatory with Matt, looking at the map and the hologram of Earth.  
"Do you think we'll ever go back?"  
"Someday we will Lance eventually."  
Blue purred in their minds, and they found themselves floating on the ocean with a raft.  
Blue was unlike the other Lions, she was a combination of lion, human, and a mermaid.  
Instead of legs, the Blue Lion had an iridescent tail large fins swept through the water keeping them in place. Her form was twice the size of a whale shark.  
Her voice was the crashing of waves,"Little one,"  
she placed her hand on the side of his face and kissed his head," of all my paladins you are the brightest star and the most like me."  
Matt was curious," What do you mean and why am I here?"  
"You are his mate and help him when no one else can. My little one has much inside of him that others do not see and layers of himself. He is also always changing, which is why the Blue Paladin can operate any lion. Something even the Black Paladin cannot do. But it also means that there is a lot of dark depths that will eventually come to light such as his insecurities."  
A lot of what she was saying made sense.  
"That explains some things," Lance mused.  
"Though there is another part. You also have the strongest bond to Voltron which means the Blue Paladin is not easily replaced. I waited 10,000 years to find you my little one."  
Blue wrapped her arms around Lance and engulfed him in all her love showing him all the things he had done.  
"It is okay to ask for help little one we all love you."  
Matt joined them, and Lance relaxed into their combined warmth.


	9. Family

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> and the story comes to an end

At the same time, the Paladins and Alteans gathered the Lions convened.  
Each Paladin described their conversation with their Lion. The Alteans were so shocked they almost didn't believe them. Coran spoke of seeing the paladins of old everywhere and of him and Allura finally putting them to rest along with the ghost of Altea.  
By no means was everything solved. Their problems would come back there would be slip ups and bumps along the road. The family was never easy, but that is what they are.  
The Lions hummed with happiness. Finally, their family of paladins was complete.  
They linked their paws and basked in the warmth the stars and worlds they lived in all were well.


End file.
